The alleged 'mastermind' of the Paris terrorist attacks bragged about how he had evaded the police

The alleged mastermind of Friday night's terrorist
attacks in Paris gave an interview to ISIS' English-language
magazine earlier this year in which he bragged about how he had
evaded authorities after his photo was circulated in connection
to a plot in Belgium.

Authorities on Monday identified the ringleader of the attacks
that killed 129 people and injured hundreds more as "Belgium's
most notorious jihadi," Abdelhamid Abaaoud.

Abaaoud has reportedly escaped to Syria and is believed to be
behind several planned attacks in Europe,
according to Reuters.

In his interview with Dabiq magazine, a slick ISIS propaganda
publication, Abaaoud talked about how he went to Belgium to mount
attacks against Westerners.

"We spent months trying to find a way into Europe, and by Allah's
strength, we succeeded in finally making our way to Belgium," he
said. "We were then able to obtain weapons and set up a safe
house while we planned to carry out operations against the
crusaders."

Their plot was thwarted — the police raided a Belgian terrorist
cell in January and killed two of Abaaoud's suspected
accomplices, according to The Associated Press. The group had
reportedly planned to kill police officers in Belgium.

Abaaoud said the police released his photo after the raid, and he
was nearly recognized by an officer who had reportedly stopped
him.

"I was even stopped by an officer who contemplated me so as to
compare me to the picture, but he let me go, as he did not see
the resemblance!" Abaaoud said. "This was nothing but a gift from
Allah."

He then boasted about how he had been known to Western
intelligence agents, who he said arrested people all over Europe
in an effort to get to him.

"The intelligence knew me from before as I had been previously
imprisoned by them," he said.

"So they gathered intelligence agents from all over the world —
from Europe and America — in order to detain me," he added. "They
arrested Muslims in Greece, Spain, France, and Belgium in order
to apprehend me. Subhānallāh, all those arrested were not even
connected to our plans!"

Abdelhamid
Abaaoud's interview in Dabiq magazine.Dabiq

This appears to have some basis in truth. The BBC reported in
January that authorities seeking Abaaoud had detained people
in Greece.

Abaaoud also taunted intelligence agencies who failed to capture
him.

He said he escaped to Syria "despite being chased after by so
many intelligence agencies."

"All this proves that a Muslim should not fear the bloated image
of the crusader intelligence," he added. "My name and picture
were all over the news yet I was able to stay in their homeland,
plan operations against them, and leave safely when doing so
became necessary."